James Boswell

INCLUDING BOSWELL'S JOURNAL OF A TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES
AND JOHNSON'S DIARY OF A JOURNEY INTO NORTH WALES

EDITED BY

GEORGE BIRKBECK HILL, D.C.L.

PEMBROKE COLLEGE, OXFORD

IN SIX VOLUMES

VOLUME V.

TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES (1773)

AND

JOURNEY INTO NORTH WALES (1774)

THE
JOURNAL
OF A TOUR TO THE
HEBRIDES,

WITH

SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D.
BY JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

CONTAINING

Some Poetical Pieces by Dr. JOHNSON, relative to the TOUR,
and never before published;

A Series of his Conversation, Literary Anecdotes, and Opinions
of Men and Books:

WITH AN AUTHENTICK ACCOUNT OF

The Distresses and Escape of the GRANDSON of KING
JAMES II. in the Year 1746.

THE THIRD EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED.

* * * * *

O! while along the stream of time, thy name
Expanded flies, and gathers all its fame,
Say, shall my little bark attendant fail,
Pursue the triumph and partake the gale? POPE.

* * * * *

LONDON:
PRINTED BY HENRY BALDWIN,
FOR CHARLES DILLY, IN THE POULTRY.
MDCCLXXXVI.

CONTENTS OF VOL. V.

JOURNAL OF A TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES WITH SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D.:
DEDICATION TO EDMOND MALONE, ESQ.
ADVERTISEMENT TO THE THIRD EDITION
CONTENTS
JOURNAL
APPENDICES:
I. LETTER FROM DR. BLACKLOCK
II. VERSES BY SIR ALEXANDER MACDONALD
ADVERTISEMENT OF THE LIFE
A. EXTRACTS FROM WARBURTON
B. LORD HOUGHTON'S TRANSLATION OF JOHNSON'S ODE WRITTEN IN SKY
C. JOHNSON'S USE OF THE WORD BIG

A JOURNEY INTO NORTH WALES IN THE YEAR 1774

DEDICATION.

TO EDMOND MALONE, ESQ.

MY DEAR SIR,

In every narrative, whether historical or biographical, authenticity is
of the utmost consequence[1]. Of this I have ever been so firmly
persuaded, that I inscribed a former work[2] to that person who was the
best judge of its truth. I need not tell you I mean General Paoli; who,
after his great, though unsuccessful, efforts to preserve the liberties
of his country, has found an honourable asylum in Britain, where he has
now lived many years the object of Royal regard and private respect[3];
and whom I cannot name without expressing my very grateful sense of the
uniform kindness which he has been pleased to shew me[4].

The friends of Doctor Johnson can best judge, from internal evidence,
whether the numerous conversations which form the most valuable part of
the ensuing pages are correctly related. To them, therefore, I wish to
appeal, for the accuracy of the portrait here exhibited to the world.

As one of those who were intimately acquainted with him, you have a
title to this address. You have obligingly taken the trouble to peruse
the original manuscript of this Tour, and can vouch for the strict
fidelity of the present publication[5]. Your literary alliance with our
much lamented friend, in consequence of having undertaken to render one
of his labours more complete, by your edition of Shakspeare[6], a work
which I am confident will not disappoint the expectations of the
publick, gives you another claim. But I have a still more powerful
inducement to prefix your name to this volume, as it gives me an
opportunity of letting the world know that I enjoy the honour and
happiness of your friendship; and of thus publickly testifying the
sincere regard with which I am,

My dear Sir,
Your very faithful
And obedient servant,
JAMES BOSWELL.

LONDON,
20th September, 1785.

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE

THIRD EDITION.

Animated by the very favourable reception which two large impressions of
this work have had[7], it has been my study to make it as perfect as I
could in this edition, by correcting some inaccuracies which I
discovered myself, and some which the kindness of friends or the
scrutiny of adversaries pointed out. A few notes are added, of which the
principal object is, to refute misrepresentation and calumny.

To the animadversions in the periodical Journals of criticism, and in
the numerous publications to which my book has given rise, I have made
no answer. Every work must stand or fall by its own merit. I cannot,
however, omit this opportunity of returning thanks to a gentleman who
published a Defence of my Journal, and has added to the favour by
communicating his name to me in a very obliging letter.

It would be an idle waste of time to take any particular notice of the
futile remarks, to many of which, a petty national resentment, unworthy
of my countrymen, has probably given rise; remarks which have been
industriously circulated in the publick prints by shallow or envious
cavillers, who have endeavoured to persuade the world that Dr. Johnson's
character has been lessened by recording such various instances of
his lively wit and acute judgment, on every topick that was presented to
his mind. In the opinion of every person of taste and knowledge that I
have conversed with, it has been greatly heightened; and I will
venture to predict, that this specimen of the colloquial talents and
extemporaneous effusions of my illustrious fellow-traveller will become
still more valuable, when, by the lapse of time, he shall have become an
ancient; when all those who can now bear testimony to the transcendent
powers of his mind, shall have passed away; and no other memorial of
this great and good man shall remain but the following Journal, the
other anecdotes and letters preserved by his friends, and those
incomparable works, which have for many years been in the highest
estimation, and will be read and admired as long as the English language
shall be spoken or understood.